Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Herb Pie ~ this kind of French inspired tart filled with veggies and a light custard of egg, milk and cream is great for brunch, lunch, or a light supper.
You can use whatever fresh herbs you’ve got around, just make sure to chop a big heap of them, since they give this quiche its character. I could have added some of the leftover ham that’s sitting in the fridge, but I decided to keep the focus on the tangy cheese and fresh herbs this time.
I used Martha Stewart’s No Fail Crust. I’m happy to say this recipe has completely cured me of my crust-making phobia. It’s easy to roll out and it always turns out flaky and perfect whether I’m using it baked or unbaked. Isn’t that just like Martha.
Quiches are probably my favorite go to meal when I’m looking for easy comfort food that I can throw together from just about anything in the fridge.
This one is super versatile because you can use pretty much any type of cheese or herb you like. Feta would make it extra tangy.
I’ve got a special love for fresh herbs, and I love to make them the star of my recipes. Try my Savory Herb Shortbread, or my Chicken with Cracked Olives and Herbs. I share an interesting method for drying herbs in this post ~ How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave.
Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese and Herb Pie
Ingredients
crust (this recipe makes 2 crusts, so you can freeze half of the dough for later)
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut in pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup ice water, more if necessary
pie
- olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- heaping 1/2 cup mixed freshly chopped herbs, I used parsley, rosemary, thyme and sage
- 6 to 7 oz goat cheese
- salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- To make the crust: put the flour salt and sugar in a processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the pieces of butter and process until grainy.
- While pulsing, add in the ice water, starting with 1/4 cup, just until the dough holds together when pressed between your fingers.
- Empty the bowl of the processor onto a sheet of plastic wrap and bring it together into a dough.
- Cut the amount in half, shape into disks, and wrap each disk in plastic.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours before rolling out one of the disks for this tart.
- For the tart: set the oven to 350F
- Coat the bottom of a large saute pan with olive oil and cook the onions on medium low until they are soft and caramelized. Rearrange them in the pan occasionally so they cook evenly and try not to let them brown. This can take 1/2 hour or more. Set aside to cool.
- Mix the beaten eggs, milk and cream in a bowl. Add in the herbs, and season with salt and pepper.
- Crumble the goat cheese and spread out evenly on the unbaked crust.
- Top the cheese with the onions and season with a little more salt and pepper.
- Pour the milk mixture into the crust and even out the herbs across the top.
- Bake for about 45 minutes until browned and set.
- Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Notes
Make it your own ~
- Make it with readymade pie dough ~ you can roll the dough out thinner to fit your tart pan, or use a pie plate, but don’t use a deep dish.
- Make it with sweet onions ~ like Vidalia or Maui.
- Make it ahead ~ the whole quiche can be frozen. Bake it, cool it completely, and then wrap well with a freezer proof plastic. It will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
don’t forget to pin this caramelized onion, goat cheese, and herb pie!
Hi! I made with feta, and no crust, cut the back time down to 35 min due to the crustless adaptation, and it was almost perfect. Next time, maybe shave 3-5 min off the cooking. it was also in a small cast iron pan which possibly shortened the need for cook time. Truly delicious, shared with neighbors, who loved it. Much appreciate the recipe and will try again with goat cheese as directed, and take out of the oven a few minutes earlier due to no need to bake a crust.
Can you use a pastry/phyllo dough crust instead for a quicker recipe?
Definitely!
Hello!
Do you think it would be possible to assemble the quiche the night before and then bake it in the morning? Thanks!
You could get all the elements ready the night before, but assemble and fill in the morning, Dani, so the crust doesn’t get soggy.
Sue,
Thanks for the quick response! So excited to make this for friends and family tomorrow!
What size tart pan did you use? 9 or 11 inch?
This is for a 10 or 11 inch tart pan, Victor.
If you make this up ahead of time, what is the best way to reheat it?
I’m making this (it’s in the oven now) for the first time and I don’t have a tart pan so I am using a glass pie pan. But next time I make it I’ll use a tart pan. How do you remove it from the tart pan?
I used a tart pan with a removable bottom, Julie, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QIZ1I2
As for reheating, you can use a microwave for individual pieces, or probably put the whole thing in a low oven until hot.
Thanks!
AFTER I left my question is when I went and looked at tart pans. I feel silly. I will try your suggestion on the reheating.
No question is silly Julie, I should have specified it!
Just so you know, I made this, and it was delicious. I’d like to get a set of smaller tart pans, make them ahead, and then freeze them.
How would this affect the cooking time, do you think?